Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

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Less than a month ago, I was wildly (and inaccurately, as it turned out) speculating that Quinton Ganthercould be the backup running back for the Redskins in that weekend’s game against the Broncos. At that time Ganther had been on the roster for a total of about three weeks, most of them as a potential backup fullback. He was still feverishly studying his playbook and looking to Rock Cartwright and Mike Sellers for advice.

“Rock and Mike, man, those are the guys right there,” he told me at the time. “Those guys try to make my job as easy as possible, and I’m glad to be playing with guys like that. Because, you know, sometimes you got guys that — when you come in, when you play the same position — they don’t wanna help you. But those guys, they want you to succeed, because they know that if I succeed we all succeed, and that’s an ultimate teammate: one that’s willing to do anything it takes to win football games.”

Since then, he’s carried the ball 19 times for 88 yards — a 4.6 average — but has shown both elusiveness and power in those carries. Which is, presumably, a big part of why Ganther was today named NOT the backup running back, but the STARTING running back for Sunday’s game in Oakland.

And it was none other than Rock Cartwright, Ganther’s mentor of a month ago, who made the announcement. (Or, more accurately, announced that he had been told that he himself wouldn’t be starting.) Read more »

• A move from yesterday evening: practice squad wide receiver Keith Eloi was released, and wide receiver James Robinson — who has played for teams I’ve never even heard of, in leagues I’m unfamiliar with — was signed to replace him.

• Albert Haynesworth was the winner of another Sports Illustrated NFL Players Poll, this time for strongest guy in the league. Interesting how much more consistently regarded he seems to be among his peers than among fans.

• Football Outsiders has some nice things to say about Jason Campbell‘s performance during the Saints game. Very nice things. Things like “the best performance by anyone not named Drew Brees” according to their numbers. I know Campbell is a divisive subject on the Redskins interwebs, but when he looks sharp — as he has at times this year — he can look really sharp.

• If, on the other hand, you’re desperately hoping that Campbell will be replaced with a draft pick next season, poster Trent Williams at TheWarpath.net has worked up some interesting lists of previous prospects who are comparable to the current crop of draftable QBs based on a number of different factors: career completion percentage, college victories, college starts, career value progression, and a couple others.

Looking at things through this semi-scientific prism, I come to one conclusion: I don’t like the comparisons for Jake Locker: Marques Tuiasosopo, Joey Harrington, Rex Grossman, etc. Pass. Read more »